BRACH’S
The Birth of Brach’s
Brachs is a classic American candy company most famously known for producing Candy Corn, Conversation Hearts, and Jelly Beans. The Brachs company got its start here in Chicago when Emil Brach, a traveling salesman and candy manufacturer employee, used his $1,000 life savings to open Brach's Palace of Sweets. Brach had a slow start, with the help of his two sons, he produced candy in a single kettle at the back of his shop and sold it for around 20 cents per pound. This was much lower than other competing confection brands, making Brachs instantly in demand.
Evolution of Brach’s
Brach’s soon began expanding, producing candy in bulk and supplying packaged sweets to grocery stores and retail shops. This helped turn Brach’s into a recognizable, nationwide brand. By 1923, Brach had four massive factories operating daily at full capacity, creating nearly 2,225,000 pounds of candy per year. In 1958, Brach's introduced Pick-A-Mix, a self-serve candy display. It allowed consumers to choose individual, wrapped candies from grocery store bins and pay a single price per pound. Brachs is also known for its seasonal candy game, famous for its Halloween candy corn, Valentine’s Day candies, Easter jelly beans, and Christmas holiday sweets. Unfortunately, Brachs experienced financial hardships in the 1990s that led to the closure of the iconic Chicago plant in 2003.
